I’ve been teaching yoga in Prescott since 2001 and was certified by the Anusara School of Hatha Yoga in 2007. I studied for six years in this method prior to certification. The process was arduous, time-consuming, and was a huge investment mentally, emotionally, physically and fiscally.
At the time, John Friend was the only one teaching teachers in the method. The expectations were high, the hoops were flaming, and the feedback was intense. It was intimidating and at the same time perfect, along with all the other things learning a new skill can be.
I studied, taught and accrued thousands of hours of training and still never felt “ready”. I had the hours, skills and training three years in, yet it took me six to jump through all the hoops. The hoops were in place because it wasn’t a process for everyone. Not everyone would finish.
Why did it take me so long? The perfectionist in me never felt “ready”.
At the time, I didn’t even think of myself as a perfectionist. I made up excuses wrapped in, “I’m not ready”.
James Clear recently wrote, “If you’re working on something important, then you’ll never feel ready. A side effect of doing challenging work is that you’re pulled by excitement and pushed by confusion at the same time.”
I’ve been thinking, practicing and writing about the process of living in our decisions, which to me is the exercise in building the skills of decision making.
In hindsight, it’s so much clearer for me to see that I was hiding behind limiting beliefs of self-worth and self-confidence.
When I hear myself say “I’m not ready”, the next question is, “what is it that am I not ready for?”. For me, it’s more about worth. It’s more about getting honest with what is truly in the way. The resistance.
Am I worth the investment?
Can I handle the feedback?
Am I scared to be more visible?
Can I rise up to this new version of myself?
Evolution is at stake. We know the ego doesn’t like to evolve.
So, my question for you is…
What is it you’ve been wanting to do and putting off? Writing a book? Starting a new job? Starting your own business? Daily Meditation? Learning to play the guitar? Getting on your mountain bike?
As James Clear says, “who you are, what you have, and what you know right now is good enough to get going.”
There’s no need to wait.
Seize the day.
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Rachel Peters is a yoga teacher, yoga health coach, lifestyle and habits expert, easeful living advocate, and lover of wild places. She leads others towards Embodying Ease through a yearlong wellness & lifestyle journey to dissolve perfectionism, embody daily habits that promote mental clarity, overall ease, and deeper connection to life on this wild ride of modern living. Learn MORE today!